The problem has been accurately identified: no moral compass exists at HSI. Killing is performed under the guise of "euthanasia" qualified by temperament testing designed to fail the animal. HSI exists as THE most significant obstruction to progressive animal welfare in the community. The beahvior of teh leadership is an insult to decency. It is imperative that every private and corporate donor who offers financial support to HSI realize that that donation is denying animals the services that they would be getting otherwise had their donation been directed to a genuine organization. The first $110K is going to a director who supports killing animals as a means of pupulation control, and that is unconscionable.

You can insult me personally and that is fine. You aren't really answering my questions about your personal involvement in helping the cause. I have every right to state my opinion and if you don't like it, then we just have to agree to disagree. I think your personal slander against me is ridiculous and calling me uneducated regarding this issue is erroneous. I never said that what Gastineau is doing isn't great. So, you and I really aren't far apart our opinions. I think it is wonderful that he is trying to help animals in this fashion and calls the HSI to change certain aspects of their policy. I don't agree with all points about HSI, though. You are just not taking the time to understand that, in my opinion, until this change happens, we need to be accountable by making changes personally, too. That was really all I was saying, not trying to be some giant HSI proponent. I keep asking you again and again how you personally do anything to help facilitate change such as fostering or volunteering. Debating me doesn't help. I do get involved and I am a foster parent and volunteer and that is my means of trying to make a difference. If you aren't getting involved, then I don't think you have a lot of room to talk. Why do you never answer my question about accountability by the individuals that send their pets to the shelter because they can't take care of them? Why am I "ranting" because I said that I think it would be helpful if more people became foster parents and stopped being so fickle about having pets that they can't take care of in the first place?

If the HSI were doig their job FACE, Indy Feral, Move To Act, and every other animal welfare group in town wouldn't exist to catch the slack from what the HSI is NOT doing. You really aren't that compassionate about animals with your uneducated rants. Everyone else out there is working to solve the problem..the HSI isn't. Why are these programs to recruit volunteers, etc. working at every other animal shelter in this city except the HSI. You have no place to talk about animal welfare when you aren't familiar with the issues...get your head out of the brainwashing HSI sand. Go ahead and defend the HSI and blame the public. Keep going and going and going and talk yourself into the corner some more. God bless Gastinaeu and all the people who's animals have been killed at the HSI due to the fact the HSI simply didn't want to call the phone numbers on their tags or check for microchips on animals who strayed away from home...like all the other shelters do to SAVE lives. Hold the HSI's lazy board responsible for not demanding better services for animals. Money isn't a factor. morals are.

Again, I ask...do you foster? Is HSI supposed to come to your house and beat you with a club to become a foster parent? How exactly are they supposed to "recruit" and where is this money supposed to come from if your answer is to stop giving them money? Even if Boden cut her salary in half, how much is that really going to fund? Is that going to be long term solution? No, but definitely a start. Finding the animal's owner? Don't you think that if that owner cared about their pet that they would be the ones to make the effort to locate their animal, not make it the HSI's responsibility? Am I wrong or are most animals there because the pet owners didn't want them anymore? I do place partial blame on the public because the public is the one that is dumping the animals there in the first place!! I don't want my dog because I am irresponsible...but don't kill him!! I didn't spay or neuter...now I have a litter. It's YOUR problem now HSI!! HSI wouldn't have so many animals to deal with if people wouldn't go down to the mall, pick up the cute dog because their kids want one and then decide they are too much responsibility and now they animal is disposable. Why does the public not deserve blame for this? Do you personally foster? By fostering, this helps HSI reduce euthanasia and take in more animals, but they can't make people step up to the plate if they don't want to. If you don't foster, exactly what would be the best way to "recruit"? Concrete solutions, people. Volunteer and be one of those dog walkers to get the animals out so they are not stir crazy. My point is that we do have responsibility other than just placing ALL of the blame of HSI. I think that people should foster before they even think about buying or adopting an animal so they know whether they will be able to handle it. Instead of buying an animal, we need to step up and adopt instead. That is where the public comes into play. But, if we don't adopt these animals and people don't foster, then what is the alternative for these animals? Is HSI supposed to keep them around forever? Don't get me wrong, I'm not the posterchild for HSI advocacy, but I think that we are just as culpable in the equation. It is always easier to place the blame on someone else instead of realizing that we do bear some of the blame, too. Yes, reform for HSI. I agree with that. However, we need to help make waves by changing what we do as well.

Wow. You just tattled on the HSI. Euthanizing is cheap. "That's life" for some animals being killed? Those animals don't need to be killed if only the HSI would actually recruit fosterers instead of going the cheaper route of killing. Put the blame on the HSI for killing and not trying to locate animals owners, killing adoptable animals, killing animals that have minor but treatable injuries or behavioral problems, walk the kennel crazy dogs. They don't want to because that would cost money, brain power, and effort. Southside Animal Shelter, Tails a wagging, the city pound are all doing more to save animals lives with much less money. HSI donors who actually care about animal welfare need to demand change. The problem lies with them and not the public.

How many of you critiquing are foster parents? Becoming a foster parent would help the HSI to increase the amount of services that they can give to the animals that they can take in and reduce euthanasia. Do you encourage those you know to foster? I agree that Boden's salary is ridiculous, but I think that becoming involved and encouraging others to do so is the best solution. I know that they are always looking for more foster parents because they don't have enough. It would be helpful if people became foster parents before even thinking of buying or adopting a pet. They would then realize how much work being a pet parent is and possibly reduce the number of animals dropped off at HSI in the first place. It makes me sad to think of all of the animals euthanized, but what is the solution? They already do have a foster program, but it is up to us to volunteer. Giving your time to HSI would be much more effective than giving your money. The majority of the blame needs to go to the individuals who think puppies and kitties are just so darn cute until they grow up and need a place to dump them off because they don't want them anymore. Besides, how is LESS people donating going to help make the HSI a better facility...Is that going to DECREASE the amount of euthanasia? And honestly, if they weren't there, what would happen to all of these unwanted animals? Yeah, it's bad to think that some animals will be euthanized, but that's life and unfortunately, if it is the most cost effective way to do things when there are no other alternative, it is what it is. They have to make their money work so they can keep taking in all of those little pups that grew up and weren't so cute after all.

The story says - According to Boden, HSI assumes all the animals it takes in, except those whose owners request euthanasia, are adoptable given enough resources. When Boden makes $110,000 I would say the Humane Society has way more resources than the truly humane animal welfare nonprofits busting their buns to save animal's lives. Boden will NEVER adopt a NO KILL policy for the HSI because killing animals, or what she would call humanely euthanizing, is less expensive than having appropirate staff to clean kennels, solicit fosters, administer medications, outreach to adopt animals, or hire staff to walk dogs so they aren't kennel crazy, ro train them to make them more adoptable, or to give proper care for all the animals they receive. Nope, doubtful she would compromise or sacrifice her salary that's pretty hefty compared to others in her field locally. Boden will NEVER adopt a NO KILL policy because then the public might hold the HSI accountable for the unscrupulous killing of thousands of adoptable animals every year. The HSI would have to admit they've been killing and killing and killing all along. Heaven forbid people find out how bad that place is and stop donating to her salary.

the Humane Society is NOT humane and it's about time they were held accountable for thousands and thousands and thousands of animals they KILL every year. everyone needs to understand that taking an animal to HSI is not a rescue -- it is much more likely to be a death sentence. thank you move to act, nuvo, and nathan winograd for trying to put an end to the killing at all the shelters that continue to "euthanize" because it's cheaper, easier, and faster than finding a way to save a life.